Steerable wheelbarrow

ABSTRACT

A steerable wheelbarrow is described which includes two handles coupled to a tray and two legs coupled to the handles. A mount is coupled to the handles. A pivot is coupled to the mount at an angle between vertical and horizontal. An offset sleeve is rotatably coupled to the pivot. An axle is coupled to an outer diameter of the offset sleeve. At least one wheel is coupled to the axle. A pivot support is coupled to the pivot and to the mount. When the offset sleeve is positioned with the axle coupled to a distal side of the offset sleeve, the axle rotates and when the offset sleeve is positioned with the axle coupled to a proximal side of the offset sleeve, the axle&#39;s rotation is limited. The offset sleeve may be rotated in order to switch the side of the offset sleeve to which the axle is coupled.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims priority to prior U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/456,000, entitled “STEERABLEWHEELBARROW”, filed Apr. 25, 2012 which application is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to a wheelbarrow with a pivoting axle that can beeasily changed to a stationary or almost stationary axle when desired.

2. Background Art

Wheelbarrows have been around for centuries. There are reports ofwheelbarrows being used in China during the second century A.D.Wheelbarrows also appear to have existed in Ancient Greece and possiblyRome.

Typically a wheelbarrow consists of a tray or container into which heavyloads are placed. The tray is supported by a single wheel and has twohandles which can be used to propel and steer the wheelbarrow.

These traditional wheelbarrows are often difficult to steer or maneuver,particularly over rough ground. Adding a heavy load to one of thesewheelbarrows makes it even more difficult to steer. Often, a wheelbarrowmay tip over when the user is trying to turn it. If the wheelbarrow isfilled with a substance such as a liquid, spilling may occur when thewheelbarrow is pushed over rough ground.

More modern wheelbarrows often have two wheels positioned towards thefront of the tray. Using two wheels helps to make the wheelbarrow morestable, though rough terrain is still an issue. However, using twowheels does not make the wheelbarrow easier to steer. In fact, theaddition of the second wheel may make the wheelbarrow even harder tosteer.

In the past, people have attempted to make wheelbarrows moremaneuverable or more stable. The problem is that they never managed tocreate a wheelbarrow that was both more maneuverable and more stable.The prior art contains many examples such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,157which has a steering mechanism that turns the wheel of the wheelbarrowwhen a user bends the handle at a hinge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,708 issimilar in that movement of the wheel or wheels of the wheelbarrow iscontrolled by the user turning a handle. These wheelbarrows, though moremaneuverable, are still unstable on rough terrain.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,934,728 describes a wheelbarrow that has a horizontalpivot point around which the axle rotates in order to compensate forrough terrain. This invention, though it may be more stable, is as hardor harder to steer as a standard wheelbarrow.

Accordingly, what is needed is a wheelbarrow that is stable enough toallow the user to move spillable items while also being easy to steer ormaneuver.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The steerable wheelbarrow, as disclosed hereafter in this application,is easily maneuverable while also being stable. The axle of thesteerable wheelbarrow may also be reversed in order to change thewheelbarrow from a steerable wheelbarrow to a wheelbarrow with asubstantially stationary axle.

In particular embodiments, a wheelbarrow may include a tray with twohandles coupled to it. At least one leg may be coupled to the handles. Amount may also be coupled to the handles. A pivot may be coupled to themount, wherein the pivot may be coupled to the mount at an angle betweenvertical and horizontal. An offset sleeve may be rotatably coupled tothe pivot. An axle may be coupled to the offset sleeve. At least onewheel may be coupled to the axle. A pivot support may be coupled to thepivot, wherein the pivot support may also be coupled to the mount. Whenthe offset sleeve is positioned with the axle coupled to a distal sideof the offset sleeve, the axle rotates with respect to the pivot; andwhen the offset sleeve is positioned with the axle coupled to a proximalside of the offset sleeve, the axle's rotation is limited with respectto the pivot.

Alternate embodiments of a wheelbarrow may include a tray with a frontend and a user end. Two braces may be coupled to the tray at a locationnear the front end of the tray. Two handles may each be coupled to thetray at a location near the user end of the tray and each handle mayalso be coupled to one of the two braces. Two legs may each be coupledto one of the two handles. A mount may be coupled to both of the twohandles at a location near the front end of the tray. A pivot may becoupled to the mount wherein the pivot further includes at least twoends and is coupled to the mount at a location near one of the at leasttwo ends of the pivot. The pivot may be coupled to the mount at an angleapproximately 30 degrees less than vertical. An offset sleeve may berotatably coupled to the pivot. An axle may be coupled to the offsetsleeve wherein the axle has two ends. Two wheels may be coupled to theaxle at a location near each of the two ends of the axle. A pivotsupport may be coupled to the pivot wherein the pivot support is coupledto the pivot at a location near the one of the at least two ends of thepivot that is not coupled to the mount. The pivot support is alsocoupled to the mount.

Embodiments of an axle assembly as used in a wheelbarrow may include amount. A pivot further includes a first and a second end and wherein thefirst end may be coupled to the mount. The pivot may be coupled to themount at an angle between vertical and horizontal. An offset sleeve maybe rotatably coupled to the pivot at a location between the first andthe second end of the pivot. An axle may be fixedly coupled to an outerdiameter of the offset sleeve. A pivot support may be coupled to thesecond end of the pivot and to the mount.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the steerablewheelbarrow will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art fromthe following more particular description of the invention and theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with theappended drawings where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a steerable wheelbarrow;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a steerable wheelbarrow;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded side view of a steerable wheelbarrow;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a steerable wheelbarrow;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an axle assembly for use on a steerablewheelbarrow;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an axle assembly for use on a steerablewheelbarrow;

FIG. 7 is a top view of an axle assembly for use on a steerablewheelbarrow;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of an axle assembly for use on a steerablewheelbarrow;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of an additional embodiment of awheelbarrow;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an additional embodiment of awheelbarrow;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of an axle assembly for use on analternative embodiment of a wheelbarrow;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of an axle assembly with an axle offset ina distal direction for use on an additional embodiment of a wheelbarrow;and

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of an axle assembly with an axle offset ina proximal direction for use on an additional embodiment of awheelbarrow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to asteerable wheelbarrow. In particular, a wheelbarrow which allows a userto more easily maneuver or steer the wheelbarrow and which allows thewheels on the wheelbarrow to move up and down in order to compensate forrough terrain in order to prevent the contents of the wheelbarrow fromspilling. Additional embodiments of the present invention, include anaxle which may be reversed in order to allow the user to change thewheelbarrow from a steerable wheelbarrow to a wheelbarrow with a fixedor substantially fixed axle. Generally, a steerable wheelbarrowcomprises a tray, at least two handles, a mount, a pivot, an axle, atleast one wheel and a pivot support.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a steerable wheelbarrow 10. The steerablewheelbarrow 10 comprises a tray 12. The tray 12 of the wheelbarrow 10may be formed from wood, plastic, metal or the like and may be formed inany shape that will contain items carried in the wheelbarrow 10.Typically a wheelbarrow tray 12 is formed as a kind of bucket which isshallower at one end than the other. The shallow end of the bucket ispositioned nearest the user or at the user end of the wheelbarrow 10.The user end 11 of the wheelbarrow 10 is the end closest to a user whenthe user is pushing the wheelbarrow 10. The deeper end of the tray 12 ispositioned at a front end 13 of the wheelbarrow 10. The front end 13 ofthe wheelbarrow 10 is the end of the wheelbarrow 10 farthest away fromthe user when the user is pushing the wheelbarrow 10.

A steerable wheelbarrow 10 may also comprise at least one handle 14. Asteerable wheelbarrow 10 will typically have two handles 14 configuredsimilarly to a standard wheelbarrow. The handles 14 on the wheelbarrow10 extend from the user end 11 of the wheelbarrow 10 to the front end 13of the wheelbarrow 10. The handles 14 are coupled to the tray 12 of thewheelbarrow 10, with the tray 12 coupled towards the front end 13 of thehandles 14. The handles 14 allow the user of the wheelbarrow 10 to liftthe wheelbarrow 10 and to maneuver the wheelbarrow 10.

The front of the handles 14 are hooked together by a handle connecter28. The handle connector 28 helps to hold the handles 14 in position.The handle connector 28 is typically a strip of metal with two mostlyright angles located at each of the ends of the strip of metal. Theright angles are coupled around the end of the handles 14 of thewheelbarrow 10 positioned at the front end 13 of the wheelbarrow 10.

Coupled to the bottom of the handles 14 is at least one leg 16. The legs16 on a wheelbarrow 10 allow the wheelbarrow to sit with the tray 12 ina relatively level positioned while the user is not pushing thewheelbarrow 10. Some typical wheelbarrows have one leg 16 which couplesto each of the handles 14 on the wheelbarrow. This type of leg 16 isformed from a strip of metal bent into the shape of a rectangle with onemissing side. The open side is the side that will be coupled to thehandles 14 of the wheelbarrow, while the closed side of the rectanglewill support the wheelbarrow on the ground. Other typical wheelbarrowlegs 16 are formed from two pieces of metal bent into a triangle with amissing side. The open side of the triangle is coupled to the handle 14of the wheelbarrow. One triangle is coupled to each of the handles 14.

At least one brace 30 may be coupled to the handles 14 of thewheelbarrow. In typical wheelbarrow configurations, two braces 30 areused. Each brace is coupled to one of the handles 14 of the wheelbarrowat a location towards the front end 13 of the wheelbarrow. The braces 30are then coupled to the underside of the tray 12 of the wheelbarrow. Thebraces 30 help to support the tray 12. Braces 30 are typically used onwheelbarrows where the tray 12 is made of plastic. Braces 30 may beformed from straight pieces of metal.

All of the components of a wheelbarrow discussed previously may becoupled together using screws, bolts, nails, adhesives, welding, epoxy,fasteners or the like.

In a steerable wheelbarrow 10 such as those discussed in thisdisclosure, a unique axle assembly 50 is coupled to the bottom of thehandles 14 towards the front end 13 of the wheelbarrow 10. The axleassembly 50 is shown as part of the wheelbarrow 10 in FIGS. 1-4. Theaxle assembly 50 is shown separately from the wheelbarrow in FIGS. 5-8.

The axle assembly 50 as shown in FIGS. 5-8 may be used to replace theaxle on any standard wheelbarrow in order to convert that wheelbarrow toa steerable wheelbarrow 10. This is done by coupling the axle assembly50 to the handles 14 on the standard wheelbarrow at a locationapproximately the same as where the original wheels were located.

The axle assembly 50 comprises, includes or contains a mount 18. Thismount 18 is simply a mounting plate that allows the axle assembly 50 tobe coupled to the bottom of the wheelbarrow handles 14. The mount 18 asshown in the figures is a metal plate which may be approximately 3/16 to¾ of an inch thick, however the mount 18 may be made from any materialthat is strong enough to prevent the axle assembly 50 from being tornfrom the bottom of the wheelbarrow 10 when the wheelbarrow is beingused. The mount 18 may also be as thick or thin as needed. The mount 18is shaped like a simple rectangle. Towards the front of the mount 18 isa trapezoidal piece of material 19 which is coupled to the rectangle atan angle. This angle is somewhere between horizontal and vertical,however for preferred arrangements it is likely that the trapezoidalpiece of material 19 is coupled to the rectangular piece of material atan angle of approximately 30 degrees below horizontal.

Though, for the purpose of this illustration, the pieces of material arerectangular and trapezoidal, they may be formed in any shape desired.

Coupled to the sides of the rectangular piece of the mount 18 are twolonger rectangular pieces of material. These longer rectangular piecesare placed so as to allow the mount 18 to be coupled to the handles 14of the wheelbarrow 10.

The pieces of the mount 18 may be coupled with adhesives, welding,fasteners or the like. Typically if the mount 18 is formed from metal,the pieces will be coupled by welding.

Along the sides of the mount 18 are coupling holes 38 which allow themetal mount 18 to be coupled to the wooden handles 14 of the wheelbarrow10. These holes 38 allow couplers 40 to be placed through the mount 18and into the handles 14. Typical couplers 40 may include bolts, woodscrews, nails or the like. The mount 18 may have as few or as manycoupling holes 38 as needed to securely fasten the mount 18 to thewooden handles 14 of the wheelbarrow 10.

Attached to the trapezoidal piece of material 19 on the mount 18 is apivot 20 and a pivot support 26. The pivot 20 is a long cylindrical partaround which axle 22 of the axle assembly 50 will rotate. The pivot 20may be formed from a rod, pin or a bolt as illustrated in the attachedfigures. The pivot 20 may be formed from any cylindrical piece ofmaterial about which axle 22 may rotate.

The pivot 20 is coupled or connected to the mount 18 at the angledtrapezoidal piece 19. This positions the pivot 20 at an angle betweenvertical and horizontal. A typical configuration may have the pivot 20located at an approximately 30 degree angle less than vertical. Oftenvertical may be measured as 90 degrees from the plane in which thehandles 14 lie. However, vertical may also simply be perpendicular tothe ground. This angle allows the wheels on the end of the axle to pivotforward and backward for steering and up and down for stability.

The pivot support 26 is coupled to a first end of the pivot 20 at thesame location that the pivot 20 is coupled to the mount 18. The pivotsupport 26 is then also coupled to a second end of the pivot 20. Thepivot support 26 then continues to where it is coupled to therectangular section of the mount 18. The pivot support 26 providesstability and support to the pivot 20. The pivot support 26 may beformed from a strip of metal or other strong material. This strip ofmetal is approximately an inch to two inches in width and may be 3/16 to⅛ an inch in thickness in this embodiment. In other embodiments, thepivot support 26 may be formed from other shapes, sizes and types ofmaterial. The pivot support 26 may be formed in a rounded shape such asthe pivot support 26 illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 or it may be formed withsquare angles such as the pivot support 26 illustrated in FIGS. 5-8.

The pivot support 26 and mount 18 may be coupled together by adhesives,welding or the like. The pivot 20 is typically coupled to the mount 18and pivot support 26 by simply inserting the pivot 20 through pivotholes 54 drilled in the mount 18 and pivot support 26. After insertingpivot 20 through pivot holes 54 and axle 22, pivot opening 60, the endof the pivot 20 then has a pivot nut 56 placed on it, in order to holdthe pivot 20 in place. The pivot nut 56 is simply a nut that fits on thepivot 20. In alternate embodiments, the mount 18 may have a threadedopening into which the pivot 20 is inserted and then the pivot nut 56 isnot used.

An axle 22 pivots around the pivot 20. The axle 22 may simply be astandard wheelbarrow axle or the like. It may be cylindrical orrectangular with cylindrical ends. The axle may simply be a longstraight axle 22 or it may be horseshoe or other shapes. The center ofthe axle 22 contains a pivot opening 60. The pivot opening 60 is simplyan opening through which the pivot 20 is placed. The pivot opening 60may be formed by drilling a hole through the center of the axle 22 orelse a bushing 58 may be inserted through the center of the axle 22 andthen the bushing 58 is affixed to the axle 22.

If a bushing 58 is used, the bushing 58 may extend beyond the width ofthe axle 22 in order to position the axle 22 along the pivot 20. If abushing 58 is not used, a spacer 36 may be placed along the pivot 20 inorder to position the axle 22 appropriately. The spacer 36 may becoupled to the pivot support 26 or it may be simply placed around thepivot 20. Washers 34 may also be used for additional aid inappropriately positioning the axle 22 along the pivot 20.

At each end of the axle 22, a wheel 24 is placed on the axle 22. Thewheels 24 rotate freely about the axle 22. In other configurations, onewheel 24 only may be used.

The wheels 24 are held on the axle 22 by wheel nuts 32 which are placedon the axle 22 after the wheels 24. Wheel nuts 32 are typically juststandard nuts, pins, caps or other devices that may be used to hold awheel 24 on an axle 22. A wheel stop 21 may be attached to each end ofthe axle 22, prior to putting the wheels 24 on the axle 22. The wheelstops 21 prevent the wheel 24 from sliding towards the center of theaxle 22. A wheel stop 21 may be any device that would keep the wheel 24from sliding further on the axle 22. In the FIGs, the wheel stops 21 arelarge washers which are welded in the proper place on the axle 22.

In order to prevent the axle 22 from rotating in a complete circlearound the pivot 20, which would make using the wheelbarrow 10difficult, stops may be placed on the mount 18 in order to prevent theaxle 22 from rotating more than a predetermined amount. In FIGS. 1-4,the stop is formed by placing a stop coupler 42 through a stop hole 46.The stop coupler 42 may be simply formed from a long screw or bolt. Thestop hole 46 is typically the hole on the mount 18 which is positionedclosest to the user end of the wheelbarrow. The stop coupler 42 isplaced through the stop hole 46 and then the stop coupler 42 is held inplace with a nut 44. The stops may also be adjustable in order to allowthe user to determine at what point they would like the axle 22 to stoprotating around the pivot 20. The stops may be adjustable by providingmultiple stop holes 46 through which the stop coupler 42 could beplaced, as shown in FIG. 4. In order to adjust the location of thestops, the user would move the stop coupler 42 from one stop hole 46 toanother stop hole 46. The stop holes 46 could also be shaped likeextended ellipticals in order to provide multiple locations at which thestop couplers 42 could be fastened.

In the embodiment of axle assembly 50 illustrated in FIGS. 5-8, a stop52 is coupled to the mount 18 in a position which prevents the axle 22from rotating around the pivot 20 more than a desired distance. The stop52 illustrated in these figures is a nut welded to the mount 18. Thisstop 52, however, could be formed in any configuration or with anymaterial desired.

In alternate embodiments, a steerable wheelbarrow 10 may be configuredusing one wheel instead of two. In this configuration, the axle may beformed so as to suspend one wheel below the pivot. This would allow theone wheel to pivot to allow the wheelbarrow to be more maneuverable.

In still other embodiments, the angle of the position of the pivot ofthe steerable wheelbarrow 10 may be adjustable in order to allow theuser to determine which angle is best suited to their needs.

In some embodiments of a steerable wheelbarrow, the pivot support mayalso act as a pivot stop to prevent the axle from rotating in a completecircle.

Additionally, in alternate embodiments, the at least one wheel 24 may bereplaced with at least one ski in order to allow the steerablewheelbarrow 10 to be used on snow or ice.

FIGS. 9-13 illustrate an additional embodiment of a wheelbarrow 70. Theaxle assembly 78 of wheelbarrow 70 includes an offset sleeve 72. Theoffset sleeve 72 is a cylindrical tube configured to receive pivot 20.The offset sleeve 72 may be formed in any shape or size desired,provided the shape and size allow the pivot 20 to rotate within theoffset sleeve 72. The offset sleeve 72 is placed around the pivot 20 andis then coupled to the axle 22. The offset sleeve 72 puts the axle 22 ina position to one side or the other, either the distal side or theproximal side, of the pivot 20 rather than centered on pivot 20 as inthe other embodiments.

The axle 22 is coupled to the outside diameter of the offset sleeve 72in this embodiment. The axle 22 may be coupled to the offset sleeve 72permanently or removably. The axle 22 may be welded, bolted, glued,epoxied or the like to the offset sleeve 72.

The axle 22 is offset in either a distal direction 74 (FIG. 12) or aproximal direction 76 (FIG. 13) by the offset sleeve 72. The distaldirection 74 is the direction towards the front end of the wheelbarrow70. The distal direction 74 is also the direction away from the user.The proximal direction 76 is the direction towards the user.

If the axle 22 is offset in the distal direction 74, the axle 22 isallowed to pivot freely around the pivot 20. The axle 22 will pivotuntil the axle 22 comes into contact with pivot stop 52. In thisconfiguration, the wheelbarrow 70 is a steerable wheelbarrow asdescribed previously.

If the axle 22 is offset in the proximal direction 76, the axle's 22rotation is limited and the axle 22 is held in a stationary or almoststationary position. The axle 22 is held between the pivot 20 and thepivot stops 52. In this configuration, the axle 22 is fixed in position,in other words, axle 22's rotation is limited with respect to pivot 20,which allows the user to carry loads which would be difficult with apivoting axle 22. In many instances the axle will have zero rotation inthis position, however, it is possible that the axle will rotate lessthan 10 degrees in either direction.

In order to switch axle 22 from a distal offset as illustrated in FIG.12 to a proximal offset as illustrated in FIG. 13, the user removespivot 20 which may be a bolt, a screw or the like. Once pivot 20 isremoved, the user rotates axle 22 so that offset sleeve 72 is either onthe proximal side 76 or the distal side 74. Once the offset sleeve 72 isin position, the user inserts pivot 20 through pivot support 26, throughoffset sleeve 72, through spacer 36, if desired, and into mount 18. Oncethe pivot 20 is secured, the user may operate the wheelbarrow 70.

If the user desires to switch the axle 22 back from a fixed to apivoting axle or vice versa, the user simple repeats the above process.In this way, the user may use the same wheelbarrow 70 for many differenttypes of loads.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative additional embodiment of wheelbarrow70. In this figure, pivot 20 is a pin which slides through pivot support26, offset sleeve 72, spacer 36, if desired, and into mount 18. Pivot 20is held in place by retaining wire 82. Retaining wire 82 is a wireformed into a partial square. Retaining wire 82 may be formed from wire,metal strips, plastic or any other desired material which performs thepurpose of securing pivot 20 into position. Retaining wire 82 may beformed from any thickness or type of wire, if wire is used. Retainingwire 82 may also be formed in any shape desired such as a partialcircle, partial, rectangle or the like.

One end of retaining wire 82 is rotatably coupled to one end of pivot20. The other end of retaining wire 82 has an opening through which theother end of pivot 20 may be inserted. When the user is removing pivot20 from the wheelbarrow 70 in order to reverse the axle 22, the end ofretaining wire 82 which has the opening is removed from the end of thepivot 20. The retaining wire 82 is then rotated around the end of theretaining wire 82 which is rotatably coupled to the pivot 20. The pivot20 can then be removed from the offset sleeve 72 so that the position ofthe axle 22 may be reversed. Once the axle 22 is in the desiredposition, the pivot 20 may be reinserted through the pivot support 26,offset sleeve 72, spacer 36, if desired, and into mount 18. Then theretaining wire 82 is rotated so that the open end of the retaining wire82 may be placed over the end of the pivot 20, thereby securing thepivot 20 into position.

Accordingly, for the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, thecomponents defining any embodiment of the invention may be formed as onepiece if it is possible for the components to still serve theirfunction. The components may also be composed of any of many differenttypes of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formedinto shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistentwith the intended mechanical operation of the invention. For example,the components may be formed of rubbers (synthetic and/or natural),glasses, composites such as fiberglass, carbon-fiber and/or other likematerials, polymers such as plastic, polycarbonate, PVC plastic, ABSplastic, polystyrene, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, phenolic, anycombination thereof, and/or other like materials, metals, such as zinc,magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, stainless steel, anycombination thereof, and/or other like materials, alloys, such asaluminum, and/or other like materials, any other suitable material,and/or any combination thereof.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order tobest explain the present invention and its practical applications and tothereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the foregoing description and examples have been presented for thepurposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forthis not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possiblein light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit andscope of the forthcoming claims. Accordingly, any components of thepresent invention indicated in the drawings or herein are given as anexample of possible components and not as a limitation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A wheelbarrow comprising: a tray; twohandles coupled to the tray; at least one leg coupled to the handles; amount coupled to the handles; a pivot coupled to the mount, wherein thepivot is coupled to the mount at an angle between vertical andhorizontal; an offset sleeve rotatably coupled to the pivot; an axlecoupled to the offset sleeve; at least one wheel coupled to the axle; apivot support coupled to the pivot, wherein the pivot support is alsocoupled to the mount; wherein when the offset sleeve is positioned withthe axle coupled to a distal side of the offset sleeve, the axle isallowed to rotate with respect to the pivot.
 2. The wheelbarrow of claim1, wherein the pivot is coupled to the mount at an angle ofapproximately 30 degrees less than vertical.
 3. The wheelbarrow of claim1, wherein the offset sleeve may be removed from the pivot and rotatedin order to move the axle from the distal side to the proximal side ofthe pivot.
 4. The wheelbarrow of claim 1, wherein the mount is coupledto the two handles at multiple locations.
 5. The wheelbarrow of claim 1,further comprising at least one adjustable pivot stop.
 6. A wheelbarrowcomprising: a tray further comprising a front end and a user end; twobraces coupled to the tray at a location near the front end of the tray;two handles wherein each handle is coupled to the tray at a locationnear the user end of the tray and wherein each handle is also coupled toone of the two braces; two legs wherein each leg is coupled to one ofthe two handles; a mount coupled to both of the two handles at alocation near the front end of the tray; a pivot coupled to the mountwherein the pivot further comprises at least two ends and is coupled tothe mount at a location near one of the at least two ends of the pivot;wherein the pivot is coupled to the mount at an angle approximately 30degrees less than vertical; an offset sleeve rotatably coupled to thepivot; an axle coupled to the offset sleeve wherein the axle furthercomprises two ends; two wheels coupled to the axle at a location neareach of the two ends of the axle; a pivot support coupled to the pivotwherein the pivot support is coupled to the pivot at a location near theone of the at least two ends of the pivot that is not coupled to themount; and wherein the pivot support is also coupled to the mount. 7.The wheelbarrow of claim 6, wherein the axle is coupled to the offsetsleeve at a location towards the user end of the tray.
 8. Thewheelbarrow of claim 6, wherein the axle is coupled to the offset sleeveat a location towards the front end of the tray.
 9. The wheelbarrow ofclaim 6, wherein the location at which the axle is coupled to the offsetsleeve may be switched from a location towards the user end of the trayto a location towards the front end of the tray.
 10. The wheelbarrow ofclaim 9, wherein location at which the axle is coupled to the offsetsleeve may be switched by rotating the offset sleeve and the axle withrespect to the pivot.
 11. The wheelbarrow of claim 9, wherein when theaxle is coupled to the offset sleeve at a location towards the user endof the tray, the axle's rotation around the pivot is limited.
 12. Thewheelbarrow of claim 9, wherein when the axle is coupled to the offsetsleeve at a location towards the front end of the tray, the axle rotatesaround the pivot.
 13. An axle assembly for a wheelbarrow comprising: amount; a pivot further comprising a first and a second end, wherein thefirst end is coupled to the mount; wherein the pivot is coupled to themount at an angle between vertical and horizontal; an offset sleeverotatably coupled to the pivot at a location between the first and thesecond end of the pivot; an axle fixedly coupled to an outer diameter ofthe offset sleeve; and a pivot support coupled to the second end of thepivot and to the mount.
 14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the pivotis coupled to the mount at an angle of 30 degrees less than vertical.15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the pivot is removably coupled tothe pivot support and the mount.
 16. The assembly of claim 15, whereinwhen the pivot is removed the offset sleeve may be rotated to alter adirection to which the axle is offset by the offset sleeve.
 17. Theassembly of claim 12, wherein the offset sleeve is rotatably coupled tothe pivot with a bearing.
 18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein theaxle's rotation is limited when the axle is offset by the offset sleevein a proximal direction.
 19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the axleis allowed to rotate when the axle is offset by the offset sleeve in adistal direction.